Following two postponed games, the Valiants return to league action this weekend as we welcome Newport County to Vale Park.
Saturday’s game will be two weeks since the Valiants last took the field after postponements against Wrexham in the Vertu Trophy, and Barrow in the League.
Prior to this mini-winter break, Vale returned to winning ways after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers. Goals either side of half time from Ryan Croasdale and Lorent Tolaj were enough to earn Vale all three points despite Jamie Sterry’s long-range consolation goal seven minutes from time.
Since the last game, Darren Moore and his staff have been busy in the transfer window with three new faces coming into the club.
19-year-old forward, Jemiah Umolu joined the club on Friday on loan from Crystal Palace.
On the same day, Rhys Walters rejoined the football club after leaving in the summer. Walters has made 22 senior appearances for the Vale and signs on a three-and-half-year contract.
More recently, Goalkeeper Nathan Broome joined the club on loan from Swansea City until the end of the season. Darren Moore explained that due to both Connor Ripley and Aaron Davies having extended spells away from the club, Broome has been signed to add competition to that number one spot.
Gaffer's Thoughts
Darren Moore looks ahead to Saturday’s visit of Newport County:
“We’re really looking forward to the game against Newport. They are a team that when we last played them had a new management team and we went down there and put in a real strong performance. Since then, both teams have shown levels of improvement and they’ll come here on Saturday with their style and the philosophy and we’ve got to be ready for it.
“We’ve taken a lot of positives out of the last two results. We had a real strong performance at Doncaster, and it needed to be. We felt at the turn of the year that we had to go back to basics, and I think we’ve gone back to that. Credit to the players, they know what it feels like to have that winning feeling. We have to apply ourselves in the night manor on Saturday. We’re looking forward to the game and long may we continue to turn the corner like we have done in the last few games.”
The Opposition
Newport County are the visitors to Vale Park on Saturday. The Exiles currently sit 18th in Skybet League Two and they come into the game off the back of three defeats on the bounce.
Newport made a bright start to the season but have since picked up just three wins in their last 16 games in all competitions which has seen them plummet down the table.
Newport’s last win came back in December when they thrashed MK Dons 6-3 At Rodney Parade. This game had the rare feat of two players scoring hat-tricks in the same fixture. Both Bobby Kamwa and Bryn Morris scored three goals as they helped their side to a thumping victory.
Newport are the 2nd worst side on the road this season. In their 13 games, they have picked up nine points which comes in the form of two wins and three draws. Their last away victory came in October when they beat Gilliingham 2-0 at the Preistfields Stadium.
Who’s in Charge?
Former Olympiacos fitness coach Nelson Jardim is Newport’s Head coach. The 45-year-old, from Portugal, arrived at Rodney Parade in the summer after Graham Coughlan left the club. Jardim has been a coach at numerous clubs in Europe such as Leicester, Nacional, Mařitimo and Swansea City.
So far this season, Jardim has taken charge of 28 games in all competitions. His Newport side have won eight of these, drawn and lost 15. His side have conceded the second most amount of goals this season with 40 goals being scored against them, only Swindon Town have conceded more as they have let in 41 goals.
Player to Watch
After the injuries and transfers of key midfielders, Kieron Evans has stepped up to play in the heart of the Newport midfield. The on-loan Cardiff City man has started 15 games this season and in this time, he’s found the net once and assisted two goals.
The Exiles also boast the tallest player in the EFL with 6ft9 striker Kyle Hudlin amongst their ranks. The 24-year-old striker has found the net four times in 18 games and is always a handful for defender.
In the last few days, Newport signed striker David Ajiboye from Peterborough United. Ajiboye played almost every game for Posh last season, scoring four and assisting five in League One.
Last Time We Met
Newport County 1-4 Port Vale, Saturday 7th September 2024.
Arguably Vale’s best performance of the season came in the reversed fixture when the Valiants ran riot in South Wales.
Vale took the lead in the 6th minute when Jayden Stockley met Benicio Baker-Boaitey’s cross with a powerful header at the back post. The hosts drew level in the 24th minute when Anthony Wildig took advantage of a mix up at the back to meet Anthony Driscoll-Glennon’a deep cross from the left.
However, the Valiants hit back just ten minutes before the break when a cleared corner was recycled by Brandon Cover. His long ball into the box was flicked on twice by Ben Garrity and Lorent Tolaj before Stockley beat the keeper to the ball to grab his second of the game and put his side back in the lead.
In the second half, Vale raced out of the blocks and doubled the lead just three minutes after the interval. Lorent Tolaj won the ball back in the offensive third before racing towards goal and teeing up Ethan Chislett who finished calmly past the on-rushing keeper.
In the 54th minute, Lorent Tolaj rounded off the scoring for the Valiants when he finished off an excellent Vale move with a strike that deflected into the top corner.
Newport’s task was made harder just before the hour mark when Ciaran Brennan was sent off for kicking out at Ben Garrity. Eight minutes later, the hosts were reduced to nine men when Kyle Jameson was shown a red card after purposefully kicking the ball into the Vale supporters.
